ATE refers to an automated, usually computer-driven, approach to testing devices, such as semiconductors, electronic circuits, and printed circuit board assemblies. A device tested by ATE, such as a semiconductor device, is referred to as a device under test (DUT).
A test system may include ATE and a host computer. Data from a DUT may be preliminarily processed in the ATE, and then passed to the host computer for subsequent processing. The processing that occurs in the ATE and in the host computer is typically asynchronous, meaning that there is not significant timing coordination between the two. As a result, interaction between the ATE and the host computer as may occur, e.g., when exchanging data, can slow down the testing process significantly. For example, if the host computer requests processed data from the ATE, the host computer may have to wait for the ATE to process the data. During the time that the host computer waits, the host computer may remain idle. This is typically because the host computer requires the processed data in order to proceed with its logical flow. As a result of this waiting by the host computer, overall testing time is increased.